In North America, one of the most important and major [[See]]s in the Orthodox Church belongs to the bishop of San Francisco. Up until the 1920s, one bishop occupied the Orthodox See of San Francisco. When Communism came to power in Russia, the Orthodox Church in the Americas was left to fend for itself. Without the Russian Patriarch exercising control over America (Which up until that time, American churches of all ethnic varieties were under the care of the Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia). This changed when the Soviets came to power, and the establishment of the Greek Archdiocese in North and South America in the early 1920s and the formation of other "ethnic" churches. Following the establishment of the Greek Church, came the Antiochian Archdiocese, the Serbian Diocese, the Bulgarian diocese, etc.

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In North America, one of the most important and major [[see]]s in the Orthodox Church belongs to the Bishop of San Francisco. Up until the 1920s, only one see with this title "bishop of San Francisco" existed, under the [[omophorion]] of the Russian Orthodox Church. When communism came to power in Russia, the Orthodox Church in the Americas was left to fend for itself. To further complicate things, the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] established a Diocese of San Francisco in the context of the 1922 charter of the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America]]. Years later the [[Metropolia]] (later the [[OCA]]) and the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] broke into two jurisdictions in America and the diocese in San Francisco was divided into two amongst the Russians. There is also a Serbian bishop of Western America whose seat is in Alhambra and an Antiochian bishop of Western America whose seat is in Los Angeles.

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To further complicate things, the OCA and ROCOR broke into two jurisdictions in America and the diocese in San Francisco was divided into two amongst the Russians.

==Bishops of San Francisco==

==Bishops of San Francisco==

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''Recognised as such by the OCA, the ROCOR and the Patriarchate of Moscow.''

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''Recognised as such by the OCA, the ROCOR and the MP.''

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*Bp. [[John (Mitropolsky) of the Aleutians|John (Mitropolsky)]] 1870-1876 Transferred the [[Cathedra]] from Sitka to San Francisco in 1872, unnofficial)

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*Bp. [[John (Mitropolsky) of the Aleutians|John (Mitropolsky)]] 1870-1876 Transferred the Cathedra from Sitka to San Francisco in 1872, unnofficial)

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*Bp. [[Nestor (Zakkis) of the Aleutians|Nestor (Zakkis)]] 1879 - 1882 (In his time the Holy Synod in St. Petersburg officially recognizes the move to San Francisco, thus, Bp. Nestor was the first "Bishop of San Francisco" He died at sea whilst sailing to Alaska from San Francisco. His body was found at the mouth of the Yukon river and was buried at Unalaska.)

*Bp. [[Nestor (Zakkis) of the Aleutians|Nestor (Zakkis)]] 1879 - 1882 (In his time the Holy Synod in St. Petersburg officially recognizes the move to San Francisco, thus, Bp. Nestor was the first "Bishop of San Francisco" He died at sea whilst sailing to Alaska from San Francisco. His body was found at the mouth of the Yukon river and was buried at Unalaska.)

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*Abp. [[Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov) of the Aleutians|Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov)]] 1888-1891 (Recieved St. [[Alexis Toth]] into Orthodoxy, translated and served in English at the Cathdral in San Francisco)

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*Abp. [[Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov) of the Aleutians|Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov)]] 1888-1891 (Received St. [[Alexis Toth]] into Orthodoxy, translated and served in English at the Cathdral in San Francisco)

*Bp. [[Nicholas (Ziorov) of Warsaw|Nicholas (Ziorov)]] (1891- 1898)

*Bp. [[Nicholas (Ziorov) of Warsaw|Nicholas (Ziorov)]] (1891- 1898)

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*St. [[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon (Belavin)]] of Moscow (1898- 1907) American Cathedra transferred from San Francisco to New York. American Archdiocese given to auxiliaries, Bp. Innocent for Alaska and St. [[Raphael of Brooklyn|Raphael Hawaweeny]] for the Syrians.

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*St. [[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon (Belavin)]] of Moscow (1898- 1907) American Cathedra transferred from San Francisco to New York. American Archdiocese given two auxiliaries, Bishop [[Innocent (Pustynsky) of Alaska|Innocent (Pustynsky)]] for Alaska and St. [[Raphael of Brooklyn|Raphael Hawaweeny]] for the Syrians.

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*Bp. [[Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York|Platon (Rozhdestvensky)]] (1907-1914) Administraitor of the diocese.

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*Archbishop [[Apollinary (Koshevoy) of San Francisco]] (1926-33) In 1927, the diocese (and the Russian Church in America) would split in two, he was at that time expelled from the [http://www.holy-trinity.org Holy Trinity Cathedral] on Green Street in San Francisco. He and half of the community of Holy Trinity started a seperate parish, which would later become [http://www.sfsobor.com Holy Virgin Cathdral] (ROCOR) on Geary Blvd.

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*Abp. [[Evdokim (Meschersky) of the Aleutians|Evdokim (Meschersky)]] (1914-1917). (left to attend the Great Sobor, never returned. Regretably he died in Schism in the "living Church" in 1935. Administraitor of the diocese.

*Metr. [[Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York|Platon (Rozhdestvensky)]] (1922-1926) (He had since been made Metropolitan). Administraitor of the diocese.

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*Archbishop [[Apollinary (Koshevoy) of San Francisco]] (1926-33) In 1927, the diocese (and the Russian Church in America) would split in two, he was at that time expelled from the Holy Trinity Cathedral on Green St. in San Francisco. He and half of the community of Holy Trinity went on and started a seperate parish, which would later become Holy Virgin Cathdral ([[ROCOR]]) on Geary.

''In 1922, a Sobor was held that ultimately decided on autonomy for the American Archdiocese. In 1927, due to large protests for and against the [[Metropolia]]'s decision, the diocese (and the Russian church in America) was divided in two, along those loyal to the [[Russian Orthodox Church Abroad]] and those loyal to what would later become the [[OCA]].''

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''In 1922, a Sobor was held that ultimately decided on Autonomy for the American Archdiocese. In 1927, due to large protests for and against the [[Metropolia]]'s decision, the diocese (and the Russian church in America) was devided in two, along those loyal to the [[Russian Orthodox Church Abroad]] and those loyal to what would later become the [[OCA]].''

''The initial Charter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America provided for diocesan sees in New York, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco. A new charter issued in 1930 abolished these dioceses; however, an auxiliary bishop continued to reside in San Francisco and oversaw the western parishes of the Archdiocese until the reestablishment of the Diocese of San Francisco in 1979. In 2002, the Greek Orthodox Diocese of San Francisco was elevated to the rank of Metropolis.''

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===The Greek bishop of San Francisco===

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*Bp. [[Kallistos (Papageorgapoulos) of San Francisco]] (1927-1940)

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*Bp. [[Eirinaios (Tsourounakis) of San Francisco]] (1941-1944)

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*Bp. [[Athenagoras (Kokkinakis) of Thyateira and Great Britain|Athenagoras (Kokkinakis) of Eleia]] (1950-1955)

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*Bp. [[Demetrios (Makris) of Olympos]] (1955-1960)

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*Bp. [[Meletios (Tripodakis) of Christianoupolis]] (1960-1978)

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*Met. [[Anthony (Gergiannakis) of San Francisco]] (1978-2004)

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*Met. [[Gerasimos (Michaleas) of San Francisco]] (2005-present)

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''In 1997, the Greek Orthodox diocese of San Francisco was elevated to the rank of Metropolis, thus giving the Greek bishop of San Francisco the title of "[[Metropolitan]]". In the Greek church, the Metropolitan is of lower rank than an Archbishop, in the Slavic churches the reverse is the truer and the older tradition.''

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== External Links ==

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*[http://www.wadiocese.com Diocese of San Francisco and Western America] - Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco (Russian Orthodox Church Abroad)

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*Bp. [[Kallistos (Papageorgapoulos)]] (1927-1940)

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*[http://www.ocadow.org Diocese of the West] - Bishop Benjamin of San Francisco (Orthodox Church in America)

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*Bp. [[Eirinaios (Tsourounakis)]] (1941-1944)

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*[http://www.sf.goarch.org Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco] - Met. Gerasimos of San Francisco (Greek Archdiocese of North America)

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*Bp. [[Athenagoras (Kokkinakis)]] (1950-1955)

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*[http://www.antiochianladiocese.org Diocese of Los Angeles and the West] - Bishop Joseph of Los Angeles (Antiochian Archdiocese of North America)

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*Bp. [[Demetrios (Makris)]] (1955-1960)

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*[http://www.westsrbdio.org Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Western America] - Bishop Maxim of Alhambra (Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada)

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*Bp. [[Meletios (Tripodakis)]] (1960-1969)

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== Sources==

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* ''Orthodox America 1794-1976 Development of the Orthodox Church in America'', C. J. Tarasar, Gen. Ed. 1975, The Orthodox Church in America, Syosett, New York

Revision as of 15:41, October 11, 2012

In North America, one of the most important and major sees in the Orthodox Church belongs to the Bishop of San Francisco. Up until the 1920s, only one see with this title "bishop of San Francisco" existed, under the omophorion of the Russian Orthodox Church. When communism came to power in Russia, the Orthodox Church in the Americas was left to fend for itself. To further complicate things, the Ecumenical Patriarchate established a Diocese of San Francisco in the context of the 1922 charter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America. Years later the Metropolia (later the OCA) and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia broke into two jurisdictions in America and the diocese in San Francisco was divided into two amongst the Russians. There is also a Serbian bishop of Western America whose seat is in Alhambra and an Antiochian bishop of Western America whose seat is in Los Angeles.

Bishops of San Francisco

Bp. Nestor (Zakkis) 1879 - 1882 (In his time the Holy Synod in St. Petersburg officially recognizes the move to San Francisco, thus, Bp. Nestor was the first "Bishop of San Francisco" He died at sea whilst sailing to Alaska from San Francisco. His body was found at the mouth of the Yukon river and was buried at Unalaska.)

The OCA Bishop of San Francisco

In 1922, a Sobor was held that ultimately decided on autonomy for the American Archdiocese. In 1927, due to large protests for and against the Metropolia's decision, the diocese (and the Russian church in America) was divided in two, along those loyal to the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and those loyal to what would later become the OCA.

Ecumenical Patriarchate - Metropolis of San Francisco

The initial Charter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America provided for diocesan sees in New York, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco. A new charter issued in 1930 abolished these dioceses; however, an auxiliary bishop continued to reside in San Francisco and oversaw the western parishes of the Archdiocese until the reestablishment of the Diocese of San Francisco in 1979. In 2002, the Greek Orthodox Diocese of San Francisco was elevated to the rank of Metropolis.